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Risks and Mitigation Plan
Consists of all the potential problems and pitfalls we may encounter throughout the Content Development Plan life-cycle, and the mitigation options that we can consider to deal with these issues. Resources Software All personnel must have access and support to all required software (single-source authoring and various word processing tools, web browser, chat, and information databases). Mitigation: * Ensure that the software contains all the required components to perform the project tasks. * Verify that all licenses are up-to-date and will not expire throughout the project life-cycle. * Ensure that the project has sufficient support staff (IT personnel) and that the communication/work-order process is efficient and streamlined, and that all team members understand how to make a request. Hardware All personnel have access to all the required hardware throughout the course of the project, including (work stations, meeting rooms, computers, servers, stationary printers, etc.). Mitigation * Ensure that the required items are available before the start of the project, and that there are replacements if anything is lost/broken * Ensure that there are sufficient support staff (HR and IT personnel), that the communication/ work order process is efficient and reliable, and that all team members understand how to make a request. Human Resources There must be enough capable and knowledgeable staff to perform the project tasks during all phases of the project. Knowledge and Understanding All staff must be knowledgeable on the supporting information, process and software relevant to the project, they understand their role and how to perform their assigned task. Mitigation * Ensure that everyone involved in the project is suited to their role, according to their specific strengths and weaknesses. * Have access to associated contractor/freelancers to fill in skill or knowledge gaps in the progress. * Use seminars or training sessions to bring staff members who are lagging behind up to speed. Changes in Staff Availability There must be a strategy in place to support the project if team members need to be replaced due to extended sick leave, maternity leave or because they left the organization (quit/fired) or if the workload is underestimated. Mitigation * Ensure that there is a streamlined and effective hiring process. * Hire freelancers or contractors to pick up project tasks on short notice. * Ensure that all project staff have a good understanding of each other’s roles, so there are always individuals that can temporarily fill in and perform dropped tasks. * Gain assistance from other members in the organization that have the necessary skill set to complete the dropped tasks. Contending with 3rd Party Resources When dealing with resources outside the company, we must ensure some control over the process to ensure the development of the projects deliverables before the deadline. Mitigation * Have alternative options to ensure that the task still gets completed if any problems arise (translators are too slow, create an inadequate product, freelancers don’t perform their task effectively, etc.) * Ensure there is a communication plan in place to get regular progress updates. Time Scheduling must provide enough time for the completion of all necessary project tasks. Mitigation * Ensure that there is a clear project and content plan, to allow staff to perform their required tasks efficiently while maintaining a high level of quality. * Ensure that each project step has enough buffer to ensure that deadlines are made despite potential setbacks. * If time is severely limited, ensure that tasks are performed in order of priority, and determine which aspects of the project can be cut from the process or reduced in quality. * If the budget allows, hire additional temporary staff (freelancers/contractors) to speed up the completion of the project tasks. Budget Manage finances to ensure the availability of all required resources throughout the project life-cycle, and that the project stays on schedule. Mitigation * Adjust resources in advance according to the financial situation to ensure that there won’t be a future shortage for integral parts of the project. * Consistently manage and observe the financial situation throughout the course of the project * If money becomes problematic perform a combination of these options: # Clarify which project components are high priority and decrease financial support to other components. # Reduce the overall time of the project life-cycle; determine which parts of the project are less important and decrease and shorten their development time. # Find cheaper alternatives to the resources already in place (ex. Remove your senior editor and find a cheap replacement) ' ' Communication, Information Acquisition and software project changes Throughout the course of the project, it is necessary that the content developers have all software development information always available and up-to-date, and the communication process Mitigation * The appropriate channels for communication and information acquisition is understood and accessible by all team members. * Ensure that there are alternative avenues of communication/exchange to gain information, in case other options become unavailable (information databases, team meetings, access to software development products, documents and subject matter experts) * Ensure that the communication plan and structure allows the content development team to be aware of all changes in the software product to ensure content consistency. * Establish a second point of contact, in case the person responsible for the communication activity is unavailable. * Ensure that all important communications are captured in writing, so there is no confusion or lost information.